You know you’ve had one hell of a day when, seven months into your debut season, this becomes a serious question.
#LionsWatch: Would you take Joey Carbery to New Zealand?
The versatile back starred in a #LEIvWAS thriller 👉 https://t.co/hONRyR8aI7 pic.twitter.com/N8vgfX6WXl
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) April 1, 2017
There were a lot of replies, and tweets, in the positive but perhaps most folks were allowing themselves to get carried away.
Carbery had a cracker in the No.15 jersey against Wasps as Leinster reached the Champions Cup semi finals. Considering he has already beaten the All Blacks as an outhalf and has racked up a string of praise- and award-winning performances, Warren Gatland would definitely have to include him in his Lions selection debates.
The 21-year-old set up two Leinster tries in a 32-17 victory and lit the touch paper of many exhilarating attacks. Following the game, Carbery’s match statistics [based on ESPN numbers] were shared far and wide.
25 carries and 200 metres made for yesterday's @Heineken Man of the Match
👏🏻 @LeinsterRugby's @JoeyCarbery pic.twitter.com/iOjhZkA32r
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 2, 2017
The stats boffins have reviewed the game overnight and slightly downgraded Carbery’s numbers. He is now listed for:
23 carries, 160 metres gained, two defenders beaten, two try assists, two successful tackles [one missed].
Not bad going and, with Rob Kearney on the sidelines for a while, not a bad fullback option for the final weeks of the season.
Robbie Henshaw, meanwhile, has had his statistics upgraded.
The Leinster Robbie Henshaw looks a lot freer – and a bigger threat to New Zealand this summer – than the Ireland Robbie Henshaw.
— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) April 1, 2017
Henshaw has now been credited for an extra carry that gained Leinster 26 metres. The inside centre is now listed as 20 carries for 102 metres gained, with two clean breaks, two successful offloads, four tackles and one try.
Henshaw is definitely off to New Zealand this summer. Whether or not Carbery joins him is sketchy but he is now part of the discussion.
Not bad for a guy that was powering Clontarf’s Ulster Bank League push this time last season.
